Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

5-Methylcytosine localised in mammalian constitutive heterochromatin

Abstract

DEOXY-5-METHYLCYTIDYLIC acid (5-MeC) is an almost universal, although minor component of DNA in plants and animals. It makes up 4–7% of the bases in plants1, no more than 1.5% of the bases in the mouse2 and even less in the human3. 5-MeC itself is not incorporated directly into DNA. Instead, specific deoxycytidylic acid residues in preformed DNA are methylated enzymatically by a highly specific DNA methylase, which transfers a methyl group from S-adenosyl methionine to specific sites in DNA4. In the mouse, as in other mammals, virtually all of the 5-MeC is in the 5-MeCpG doublet5, which is distributed non-randomly in the DNA. Mouse satellite DNA contains about 3% 5-MeC in comparison to about 1.3% in main band DNA2 amd is located at the centromeric end of nearly every chromosome6.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Shapiro, H. S., and Chargaff, E., Biochem. biophys. Acta, 39, 68–82 (1960).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Salomon, R., Kaye, A. M., and Herzberg, M., J. molec. Biol., 43, 581–592 (1969).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Lawley, P. D., Crathorn, A. R., Shah, S. A., and Smith, B. A., Biochem. J., 128, 133–138 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Sheid, B., Srinivasan, P. R., and Borek, E., Biochemistry, 7, 280–285 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Sinsheimer, R. L., J. biol. Chem., 215, 579–583 (1955).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Pardue, M. L., and Gall, J. G., Science, 168, 1356–1358 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Levine, L., Van Vunakis, H., and Gallo, R. C., Biochemistry, 10, 2009–2013 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Erlanger, B. F., Senitzer, D., Miller, O. J., and Beiser, S. M., in Trans. fifth Karolinska Symp. on research methods in reproductive endocrinology, Stockholm, 1972. Acta Endocr. (Copenhagen), Suppl., 168, 206–221 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Erlanger, B. F., and Beiser, S. M., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 52, 68–74 (1964).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Dev, V. G., Warburton, D., Miller, O. J., Miller, D. A., Erlanger, B. F., and Beiser, S. M., Expl Cell Res., 74, 288–293 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Schreck, R. R., Warburton, D., Miller, O. J., Beiser, S. M., and Erlanger, B. F., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 70, 804–807 (1973).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Schreck, R. R., Miller, O. J., and Erlanger, B. F., Expl Cell Res. (in the press).

  13. Dev, V. G., Miller, D. A., and Miller, O. J., Genetics, 75, 663–670 (1973).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  14. Harbers, K., and Spencer, J. H., Biochemistry, 13, 1094–1101 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Hutton, J. R., and Wetmur, J. G., Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun., 52, 1148–1155 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Sutton, W. D., and McCallum, M., Nature, 232, 83–85 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Southern, E. M., Nature, 227, 794–798 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Jones, K. W., and Corneo, G., Nature new Biol., 233, 268–271 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Jones, K. W., Prosser, J., Corneo, G., and Ginelli, E., Chromosoma, 42, 445–451 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

MILLER, O., SCHNEDL, W., ALLEN, J. et al. 5-Methylcytosine localised in mammalian constitutive heterochromatin. Nature 251, 636–637 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/251636a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/251636a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing